December 2007

New DIY?
Lucio (and all Staff Members),
I can't tell you how much I appreciate this website and all you do for the worldwide audio community. I've been reading here for several years and have gathered much valuable, or just plain interesting, information. This has helped me tremendously in making my upgrade decisions.
My favorite section is DIY and Tweaks, largely because I choose not to spend what it would take to obtain much of the equipment you review. I also get much pleasure from creating my own gear, as modest as it may be. Having built several sets of cables and tweaked my turntable, I am now ready to build several more of your projects over this coming
winter, hopefully including my first pair of 'speakers. These will likely be single-driver 'speakers using the Audio Nirvana drivers, which I first learned of on your site.
I would love to see more DIY projects, including new cable recipes and 'speaker designs. I would also like to see an update of Geoff Husband's Guide to Second-Hand Audio. Since 1999 there have been some significant changes in the audio marketplace, such as the advent of chip-amps and "Class T" amps. It would be nice to know if Mr. Husband still recommends purchasing his suggested SS amps rather than a new TA 10.1, for instance.
Again, thank you for providing this site. It is one of my favorites.
Ted - E-mail: fairfieldt (at) medinaconsultants.com

LC
Dear Ted, thanks for the positive feedback! You are right, our second-hand buying guide needs to be updated...start mail-bombing Geoff on this :-)
As for more DIY recipes...Mark Wheeler should prepare some DIY speaker design at the end of his guide to DIYing speakers. We still have a DIY carbon fiber tonearm to publish and some decent tweaks. No new DIY cables are under study, though. We think we published some good and reasonably easy to build DIY cable designs in the past...it is hard to propose something new (read: BETTER) each year, as cables manufacturers do ;-)
We were also planning some DIY Class D amplifier project but that would have almost certainly involved SMD mounting and "that" isn't exactly an easy task for the average DIYer. We'll keep you updated!
All the best,Lucio Cadeddu

New speakers for 4000-5000 €
Hi Lucio,
After reading your excellent reviews about Trends TA 10.1 amp, I finally bought one and and very happy about it with a Klipsch F2. Now I want to go one step further and bi-amp with a hi-end(ish) speaker. I would like to know about your opinions for a 4.000-5.000$ range speaker. Whether it is worth and which brands you think it is feasible to pair with
TA-10.1.
Thanks in advance.
Sinan - E-mail: sbeskurt (at) gmail.com

LC
Dear Sinan,
considering the low power output of the TA 10.1 I'd suggest to look for high-sensitivity speakers. If you like the Klipsch sound, you could have a listen to something from the Heritage series (Heresy, Cornwall, even second hand...). Otherwise, for something completely different, don't forget Triangle (Lyrr, for example), Audio Note and even some horn with single-drivers (a la Lowther or Fostex). The choice mainly depends on your taste and on the results you wish to achieve. The TA 10.1 can be adequate even when partnered with much more expensive speakers, trust me.
Keep me updated,Lucio Cadeddu

Lively amp?
Hi Geoff,
With lots of interest I have read the review of the Kingrex T20. I also read the other articles on T-Amps.
I want to buy an amplifier, but it is hard to choose. I would like to have a more lively sound. My current Linn is fine, but it does not excite me. When I listen to the system of my friend (he has a Shigaraki) the sound gives more pleasure (direct and fast). Does a T-amp improve my old Linn Classik amp?
Are there any alternatives on the second hand market which are very lively?
Or should I replace something else? I am considering to replace the VD Hul for QED 25th anniversary XT cable, as I am told they better match the Monitor Audio.
My system is:

Micromega stage 6 cd player

Linn Classik used as amp and tuner

Monitor audio studio 6 speakers 88,5 dB

Van den hul cs-122 speakercable

Kind regards,
Geert - E-mail: jpjjansen (at) wanadoo.nl

GH
Dear Geert,
Thanks for the mail - I'll give what advice I can, but as always it's better to try to listen...
You have a fine system there but without doubt the weak point is the Amp Tuner, and you are asking it to drive some classy speakers. The Studio - 6 is a quality piece of kit and very refined and so needs a bit of waking up. The problem is that with a real efficiency of only 87 dbl most of the 'T' amps like the T20 are going to run out of puff unless you listen at moderate levels. The Shigaraki your friend has is pretty much identical to the gaincard I had here and should cope better - I'd speak very nicely to your friend and get it over and have a listen as it, or one of the gaincard clones might well be a better bet. However even the Gaincard really only sang for me with higher efficiency speakers.
There are more powerful digital amps, the NuForce spring to mind, but you might be better playing the second-hand market as if you do come unstuck you can sell on. In your situation I'd be tempted to get hold of a decent Naim 62/140 pairing or similar - they are not everyone's cup of tea but if you don't like them you'll sell them on easily.
Other lively amps are the Mission Cyrus range, again well respected so easy to sell on if you don't like them, or if you want to be cheap, chase down a Pioneer A400.
In the meantime reather than spend money on cable why not try making up one of the recipies on TNT - they'll cost a fraction and the CAT5 based ones are generally quite lively.
Good luck,Geoff Husband